Atlanta United FC falls, 1-2, in home debut in front of raucous crowd of 50,000+

Atlanta United midfielder Yamil Asad (11) is tripped up by New York Red Bulls defender Kemar Lawrence (92) in the second half of an MLS soccer game on Sunday, March 5, 2017, in Atlanta. The New Yourk Red Bulls won the game 2-1. (AP Photo/Todd Kirkland)

Atlanta United FC head coach Gerardo Martino watches play in the second half of an MLS soccer game with the New York Red Bulls on Sunday, March 5, 2017, in Atlanta. The Red Bulls won the game 2-1. (AP Photo/Todd Kirkland)

ATLANTA (CBS46) -

It's the beginning of a new era as the Atlanta United Football Club kicks off its inaugural match at Bobby Dodd Stadium Sunday night.

In their first game against the New York Red Bulls, the team fell 1-2 on a late goal from the Red Bulls.

The club will play their first eight regular-season games at Bobby Dodd Stadium, home of Georgia Tech's football team, before moving into the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium on July 30.

This is the fourth installment of professional soccer in the city as the United follow the Georgia Generals of the now defunct ASL and the Atlanta Chiefs and Silverbacks, both of whom played in the North American Soccer League. The Chiefs actually won the NASL championship in 1968. The Georgia Generals played just one season in the ASL in 1983.

The Atlanta United, owned by Falcons owner Arthur Blank, are an expansion club in Major League Soccer. The league is the highest level of professional soccer in the United States and Canada.

The team is headed by Gerardo Martino, former coach of the Paraguayan and Argentine national teams and former player for Argentina's Primera Division, the top level of professional football in the country.